ES2326331T3 - AUTOMATIC DOSER WITH A PAPER DETECTION SYSTEM. - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing a portion of sheet product stored in a dispenser, in which a dispensed sheet portion is to be removed by tearing the sheet portion from the remaining product supply. The dispenser includes a system which detects the presence of sheet product in a region of a dispensing outlet. Upon detection of a potential user, the sensing system causes dispensing of paper, on the condition that the sheet portion is regarded as having been torn off. The system includes elements for detecting a discontinuity in the sheet product.

Description

Automatic dispenser with a detector system of paper.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a dispenser that includes a supply means operated by a engine for dosing a part of a sheet product stored in said dispenser, which additionally includes an outlet of dosage through which said sheet product is supplies after a supply order issued by means of control, and a tearing means against which an area of said part it is wanted to extract, so that it allows said laminar part to be tear and remove from a remaining part of a supply of laminar product, wherein said dispenser includes a medium foil detector to detect the presence of the foil in a specific region of said dispenser near said outlet of the dispenser, said sheet detector means being connected to said control means, wherein said foil detector means repeatedly scan that specific region at a first interval of exploration for the presence of a laminar product or a discontinuity of said sheet product.

The invention is further referred to, in a preferred way, to an automatic wipe dispenser (preferably with paper towels stored inside the dispenser housing in a cylindrical supply roll) of electrically functioning type, preferably of a type that it works with batteries (but that could also work by AC or operate by a combination of AC and DC power supplies). Said dispenser may have an IR detector system or other detector system used to control product dosing such as sheets of paper (for example, paper towels for hands) when the presence of a user is detected possible / potential, preferably without contact required user physical with the dispenser (or detectors) to Start the dosing sequence.

Background of the invention

Dosers of the mentioned type previously known from document US2003 / 0169046 A1.

That document describes a dispenser that includes all the features of the preamble of the claim 1 and, in particular, describes a detector means of sheet (paper sheet) in the form of two sets of detectors (pairs of IR transmitters and receivers) in the download channel of the dispenser to protect it from ambient infrared radiation (IR), detectors that can detect a leading edge of a sheet of paper to be dosed and then dosed the paper as required When a user is present. In the mode called "wipe pendant "(mode" pendant sheet "), sheet material can be dosed when the absence of material is detected, indicating this that a wipe has been torn off. In both situations, the detectors record the position of a piece of sheet material after the supply mechanism begins to function, so that a leading edge is detected during a First predetermined period of time. After detection, another additional predetermined amount of material can be dosed for a second predetermined period. At the end of the cycle of supply that lasts what the second time interval default, a wipe length of the required length it will have been dosed for a user to hold and tear. When a wipe of the predetermined length is torn from irregular shape, one of the detectors may be left uncovered while the other is covered, in which case the control system detects a tear state and allows a new wipe to distribute on the next detection of a user.

Although the doser mentioned above thus provides a means to detect a sheet torn irregularly, however, depends on the fact that a sheet tearing irregularly at or after the moment intended to tear it apart, specifically after finished the engine dosing operation.

It also depends on the fact that, at that time (after the engine supply has stopped) at least One of the detectors will be uncovered.

However, it has been recognized that a user impatient can tear a sheet while it is still supplying, so that when the rest of the length default sheet (which has not been torn) continues leaving outside the download channel, the remaining part will cover Both detectors. In the device mentioned above is circumstance would of course leave an amount of foil still present at the exit and, in this way, both would detect detectors, causing the system to record that a wipe is not It has torn. This can avoid dosing a new piece of paper towel until the piece that blocks the detectors Additionally, as the detectors are in the channel of download that is designed to not allow finger access human, the dispenser may remain non-operational due to premature tear that has occurred, since there are no other detectors located outside the discharge channel to determine that a sheet Paper of sufficient length is not present.

The present invention aims to overcome the problem mentioned above so that a torn sheet prematurely it will be recognized by the control means.

Other problems that are overcome will result evident after reading this specification.

Summary of the invention

The main object of the invention is achieved through a dispenser that has the characteristics defined in claim 1. Certain preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Other features of the invention will result. evident to the reader of this specification.

The characteristics of the claim independent result in a dispenser in which the medium detector for the laminar product, in particular paper, make it explore substantially continuously throughout the operation of the motor that drives the supply means (for example, the supply roller), so that when it is detected a discontinuity in the laminar product (that is, when detect an absence of the laminar product) by the detector means during engine operation, the foil detector means emits a signal to the control medium to indicate that the material Laminar has torn. In this way, regardless of whether the engine continues to run until the end of the time in which a predetermined length of the sheet product should dosed or if the engine stops as soon as (or little after) detecting a discontinuity, the control medium will record that the sheet has torn.

In this way, the control medium is in a position capable of issuing a sheet supply order (it is that is, to issue an order that activates the motor circuit actuator to start dosing an additional part of the laminar product of a predetermined length) in the following occasion that the presence of a user is detected, for example, a half user detector, without having to give up the advantage of avoid dosing when a part of the sheet has fully dosed but not torn.

The terminology "tear medium" is used in this document to refer to a medium against which an area of said sheet product can be extracted to make said sheet is broken, so that it can be removed. Typically said tearing means may be in the form of a metal plate with a serrated edge. However, it is not necessary that the edge be jagged. Other tearing means may also be used. such as a series of sharp areas of plastic or similar or just a single continuous sharp edge. They can also provide other possibilities and will be clear for a specialist person

An "exploration" as mentioned in this document is, for example, the emission of an infrared (IR) signal and the activation of a detection means to detect the signal, for example, IR reflected. It is not necessary to use the signals reflected (for example, reflected IR signals), however, since a sender and a receiver could face each other each other, so that the detector that acts as a receiver could be arranged to directly receive the emitted signal (for example, IR) when there is no sheet product blocking the path between the sender and the receiver and the sender signal is not received (or receives only a relatively low amount of signal from the emitter) when the laminar producer blocks the path between the sender and receiver. If IR is used as the emitted signal, this it can be continuous or by pulses, so if pulses are used, the Pulse rate can be adjusted to cover only one small frequency range (for example, centered for example, at 3 or 4 kHz or on both sides of a central frequency of for example 15 kHz) to make the detection of the IR signal more distinguishable from the environmental IR received.

During such exploration (that is, a individual scan comprising the emission of a signal from some type that is intended to be received by a receiver for signal emitted), the IR (by pulses) will be emitted for a brief period of time usually only a few milliseconds, for example of one to two milliseconds. When mentioned in this document a "scan interval" this refers to a time interval between individual scans, that is, a interval between a first emitted signal and a second signal issued.

A "discontinuity" that is detected in the laminar product as mentioned in this document, refers  to an absence of laminar product detected during the period of exploration. The detector means is therefore arranged to detect the presence of the laminar product until said moment in which the product is cut and, in this way, produces a hole or opening with respect to the remaining laminar product.

A "specific region" of the dispenser is also mentioned in this document. This specific region is refers to a region that, in terms of its position, is a fixed area with respect to a part of the dispenser, said region being specifies a region through which or past which, the laminar product passes when dosed by means it supply from a product supply stored in the dispenser, towards the dosing outlet. In the dosers that use a pair of rollers that cause the product to be supplied laminate through the narrowing between them after actuating the rotation of one of the rollers, the specific region will begin properly after narrowing between these rollers. Likewise, when a tear edge or means of tear in the dispenser, against which a user can extract the dosed laminar product so that a dosed piece of laminar product is removed from the rest of the product supply, the specific region is properly located slightly after (downstream of) the tear edge or tear means. "Slightly after" in this document means that the start of the specific region is very close to the location of the tear medium, such as in an amount of typically less than 2 cm, usually less than 1 cm.

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When the term "upstream" or "waters below "is used in this document, refers to a position in the supply address of the laminar product (that is, from the inside the dispenser housing to the outside of the dispenser through the dosing outlet).

When the detector means works to perform a scan at a first scan interval during the time in which said engine is making the means of supply (typically a supply roller) supply the laminar product towards the dosing outlet, the first scan interval is preferably set a value that is shorter than the time it takes to tear a piece of sheet material against the tear medium. Values up to 50 ms are more suitable for this task even if they could be used longer time intervals More properly, however, they can be used 20 ms or less for most product dosers laminate that tend to be less than 40 cm wide. The values below 10 ms are even more preferable to take into account very fast tear speeds and a 3 ms interval is even more preferred. Although an even shorter interval could be used, this would use more energy, which could be significant if used A battery powered doser.

Any location in the dispenser or detectors etc., is defined with respect to the doser in its normal position of use and not mounted from top to bottom or similar. From In this way, the lower part of the dispenser is intended for be in the background Likewise, the lateral direction of the dispenser It is usually in the horizontal direction.

When reference is made to an address or vertical plane, it is usually intended to refer to a generally vertical direction. When the dispenser is mounted on a really vertical wall, the vertical direction so So much is a true vertical direction. However, if the wall is slightly tilted a few degrees, one direction vertical referred to with respect to the dispenser will be also a vertical inclined in the same amount and in the same direction than the inclination of the wall.

In terms of the user detector means, a preferable type is a contactless type (often called a system "hands-free" or "contactless" detector, such as a IR detector system, although other types of media can be used contactless detector such as capacitive types.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be explained in more detail. with reference to certain non-limiting embodiments thereof and with the help of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view schematic of a sheet material dispenser, which represents a schematic view of a first system detection zone user detector, in which a side panel of the dispenser is has withdrawn to show schematic details of the paper roll and the paper transport mechanism, which also means foil detector has been removed for clarity,

Figure 2 is a sectional side view of a foil detector means close to the outlet of a dispenser similar to that of Figure 1, in which the user detector system (shown in Figure 1) has been removed and the detector means of sheet is included,

Figure 3 is a schematic view illustrating the position of the sheet material in relation to the detector means sheet, which has a discontinuity in the material laminate,

Figure 4 shows an illustration similar to the of Figure 3, in which the sheet material has stopped moving at the end of the supply, in a position where it is not detected discontinuity,

Figure 5 shows an illustration similar to the of Figure 2 but without the presence of the laminar product, but with an underlying strip of material in an area of the dispenser that covers a specific region near the exit,

Figure 6 shows a representation of the amplitude of the signal emitted against time,

Figure 7 shows a representation of the level of signal received versus time, for a series of IR reflections received that occur due to the IR pulses emitted in a system user detector,

Figure 8 shows a block diagram of the basic elements of the system of an embodiment of a dispenser,

Figure 9 shows an RC circuit used for carry out the start-up of the microprocessor in the MCU to perform a scan, and

Figure 10 shows an alternative version of RC circuit depicted in Figure 9.

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Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

Figure 1 shows a dispenser 1 in view lateral, so that the dispenser 1 joined by its rear side to a wall W (the joining means are not shown but may be of any suitable type such as screws, adhesive or other means of union), whereby the rear surface of the dispenser is located against said wall W which is normally vertical.

The dispenser 1 comprises a housing 2, inside from which a product supply is located, in this case a paper supply in a roll 3. Roll 3 is suitably a continuous non-perforated paper roll, although it may comprise also perforated paper. It is also located in housing 2 a sheet supply means 4 (for example, a mechanism of paper transport) preferably in the form of a module modular actuator with its own cover 15, which can be removed preferably as a single unit of the housing 2 when opened the housing 2.

Figure 1 schematically shows the roll of paper 3 and the sheet supply medium 4 that supplies sheet material 7 from the roll to a discharge outlet 8 (see additional description below) after rotation of the motor M. The roll of sheet material 3 and the means of supply of sheet 4 are shown in a very simplified form, so this includes a drive roller 5 connected to a roller counter-rotary 6, so a part of the laminar product (eg paper) 7 is shown located between said rollers 5.6 with the leading edge of said product laminar 7 ready to be dosed in a discharge outlet 8 formed in the housing 2 on the lower side thereof.

The drive roller 5 is shown schematically connected to an electric drive motor M that runs on B batteries. A gear, typically in a box of changes, can be included between the motor drive shaft and the drive roller 5. Suitable batteries can be supplied to a total 6V when they are new. The operation of the M motor causes the drive roller 5 rotate and, in this way, pull the sheet paper 7 from the paper roll 3 punching the paper between the narrowing of rollers 5 and 6. After actuation, the motor rotates, thereby stretching the sheet (paper) of roll 3, which also rotates to allow the paper to move towards the discharge opening 8. Other forms of media can be used sheet supply to extract paper from a roll and dose it. The details of the sheet of the sheet supply medium (sheet of paper) as such, however, are not important for a understanding of the invention These devices are also known Good in itself in the art.

It will also be understood from the foregoing that the drive roller 5 and the roller counter-rotary 6 can have their functions changed, so that the counter-rotating roller 6 could be the drive roller that is connected so operating with the drive motor (and thus the roller actuator 5 shown in Figure 2 only acts as a roller counter-rotating in contact with roller 6, normally with the sheet material such as paper or material wipe in the narrowing between them).

Although the operating principle is explained using paper in the form of a sheet of continuous paper on a roll rolled, it should be understood that the dispenser can be used to dose other laminar products from a supply of product, such as a continuous piece of paper in bellows format, for example. The device can dose laminar products Alternative It is also possible that other devices Dosage is added to the dispenser (such as an air freshener that it is activated, for example, once every, for example, 5 or 10 minutes or once after dosing a certain number of wipes)

Motor M is at rest (not running) when paper is not being dosed. The M motor is spun when the supply means 4 trips (by means of control) to dose paper through the discharge opening 8. The operation of the M motor is controlled by a means of control in the form of a master control unit (see Figure 8) connected to a user detector system, for example comprises detectors 9-13, of which two detectors 10 and 12 may be emitters, preferably IR emitters and three detectors, 9, 11 and 13 can be IR receivers. Sayings emitters and receivers (IR) are well known in the art and typically comprise diode type structures.

The emitters and receivers are shown (Figure 1) located on the rearmost side of the discharge outlet 8. They are other detector arrangements are also possible, so that all detectors are placed on the forward facing side of the exit, preferably in a straight row along the discharge output The detectors could be put as an alternative on either side of the discharge outlet (for example, the emitters on one side and the receivers on the other side) and also extend along the discharge outlet. The exit download, however, could be put in any other site.

The dispenser 1, after the detection of a possible user (for example, without any user contact with the dispenser or the detectors) for a sufficient time in a detection zone thus causes the dispenser to determine that a user is present and, when certain are satisfied conditions, dose the sheet material. The dosage in this case is done by the front of the sheet product 7 which it is automatically downloaded through a discharge opening 8 (i.e. an opening that extends laterally, usually at the bottom of the housing, and preferably that supplies out and down).

This allows the user to grab the product laminate 7 and pull it against a tearing means 16, such as the sharp cutting edge shown in Figure 1, near the opening discharge 8, to tear (and / or cut) and remove a part 24 of the laminar product 7. The location of the tear means 16 It can be varied. It can also be on the opposite side (i.e. the side closest to the front of the dispenser) of the discharge output 8.

In an example of a user detector system Without contact, a user detection zone 14 is shown in the Figure 1 in side view. The user detection zone, without However, it will generally be a volume (which extends through the lateral direction of the device when viewed from the front) and, in the example shown, it tilts down and towards in front of the discharge opening at an angle x ° of preferably  between 20º to 30º with respect to the vertical axis Y. To produce said volume, a set of at least two emitters and three can be used receptors, disposing along the lateral extension of the discharge output

However, the invention described in this document does not depend on the inclusion of any detector system particular user, although the use of the same type of detector means to detect a user and to detect sheet material is advantageous, since the overall number of parts of the circuit can reduce. Advantageously, the user detecting means can include an active IR detection system (i.e. at least one IR emitter and at least one IR receiver) and the foil detector means may also include an active IR detector system with at least an IR emitter and at least one IR receiver. When those systems are use respectively for the foil detector medium and the medium User detector, however, is advantageous if IR emissions of the foil detector (paper) does not interfere with those of the User detector medium and vice versa. This can be achieved through the relative placement of the emitters and receivers of the respective medium, and / or providing an IR frequency by different pulses for the respective media (that is, both during broadcast as reception), when using pulse IR in any of the media.

Referring to Figure 2, the part of Discharge 2 of the dispenser 1 is provided with an output of discharge 8 that is disposed between a wall surface 19 of the housing in which the tearing means 16 is located and a wall part 20 in which the detectors 17, 18 are located of the foil detector medium. These detectors may be partial or completely recessed with respect to the housing part 20 (or a support unit located in the housing part 20), so that the IR is directed (with a truncated cone shape) towards a region specific 21 (see Figure 3) for example using the detector 17 which can be an emitter (IR). The detector 18 may be a receiver (IR). The IR signal emitted from the sender 17 in the absence of paper (Figure 3), is not reflected back to receiver 18 anymore that the specific region 21, which is for example a surface of a hosting panel is arranged to not reflect IR back to receiver 18. This can be done by a specific angle of the surface 19 to reflect the IR away from the receiver and / or using a non-reflective IR surface, such as a dark surface or black in the form of, for example, a rectangle or other shaped strip of black or dark material 23 (to be used in case the sheet material is a light colored sheet material, for example, white, gray white or a gray sheet material). How Alternatively, the area may be coated or painted to Provide a non-reflective IR surface.

When the laminar product (for example, paper) it is presented on a main part of the surface 21, without however there is an IR reflection back to receiver 18. The amount of IR received is converted to a received signal value (for example, a voltage level) and this value is compared with a threshold value When the threshold value is exceeded, this informs the control means that the paper is present. The threshold value is adjusts appropriately for this purpose and can be adjusted individually (by hand or automatically) to take into account individual types and the color of the sheet product (in particular paper). When there is no signal or a very low signal is received in the receiver 18, the signal value will not exceed the threshold value and the control means is then adjusted to assume that there is no paper present in the detection zone of the foil detector means (i.e., sheet product 7 is not in front of the region specific 21).

The foil detector means that includes the detectors 17, 18 performs a scan at an interval of exploration. The scan can be performed at a first interval scan and at least a second scan interval. He first scan interval is significantly shorter than The second scan interval. In the first interval of scanning, the foil detector means by means of a circuit control and an appropriate program, will perform a first scan repeatedly (that is, a scan is done repeatedly, with a time between each individual scan equal to that first scan interval). During the individual scan, you emits a signal that can be detected by a receiver. At In the case of an IR emitter, this emits IR and an IR receiver is activated to receive IR The signal is emitted for a very short time (for 1 to 2 ms example) and this is broadcast on a repeated basis until scan interval A first scan interval can be up to 50 ms, although better results are achieved at intervals less than 20 ms. More preferably, the range of scan is less than or equal to 5 ms and more preferably less of or equal to 3 ms. At a first short scan interval of approximately 3 ms, the IR receiver can connect constantly also to detect IR while the IR emitter is connect and disconnect, although even the IR receiver can connect and disconnect if desired in synchronization with the IR transmitter.

The first scan interval is used to detect the presence of laminar product in a way practically continuous during the drive of the middle motor of supply M. In other words, the first interval of scan should be short to allow a scan practically continuous. The first scan interval should preferably chosen to be shorter than the time that it takes, at an estimated maximum tear rate, a user in tear a laminar product and that way a value of 3 ms is more preferable for this scan interval to allow any discontinuity on paper (even when a user performs a quick tear) can be detected.

The first scan interval applies to the foil detector means by means of the control means to explore repeatedly at said first scan interval. This first scan interval is used when the control medium has received a sheet supply order that causes the setting in M motor running of the supply medium. The first interval of scan stays between individual scans until the engine stops working (that is, from the beginning of the engine operation at cessation of engine operation to dose a quantity of sheet material). A second interval of exploration, considerably larger than said first interval of exploration, for example between 5 and 50 times greater, such as by example a second scan interval of 0.17 s between scans, preferably used once the engine has stopped working at the end of said dosing operation using said first scan interval.

During the first scan operation scan interval or the second scan interval, every time a paper discontinuity is detected, it will give as result that a signal is received in the control medium that is below a predetermined threshold (as explained previously).

Under normal circumstances, a user will wait until the engine M has stopped and then it will take the piece of sheet material 7 and tear it against tear 16, so that the dosed material 24 can be removed from the rest of the material in the dispenser 1. Removal of the sheet material dosing will then cause the foil detector means detect a discontinuity (situation shown for example in the Figure 3).

However, according to the invention even if the sheet is torn during dosing (while the engine M is in operation), a discontinuity in the sheet is still will detect why discontinuity is recorded as it passes through of detectors 17, 18 even if the sheet material continues subsequently dosed through the specific region (it is say, the situation shown in Figure 4), due to the fact that when the leading (tearing) edge of the sheet material passes through the detectors, it is detected as a discontinuity, although after additional dosing the sheet material again covers substantially the specific region 21 (as also shown in Figure 4). In this way, exploring in the first interval of scan (the shortest), a signal is sent to the control medium which indicates that a discontinuity has occurred. Short scan It allows to detect temporary discontinuities.

Under these circumstances, a control mark can be adjusted in the memory of the control means by means of a program that indicates that the paper has torn, regardless of whether the paper is present after in front of the specific region at the end of the dosing action, which in the absence of such means it would indicate that the sheet material is present and it would be necessary to tear it before continuing with a additional dosing cycle.

In this way, even though the region specific 21 can be covered and a strong IR reflection is received from the laminar product 7 (ie, an IR value received that produces a signal value above an adjusted threshold value), the dispenser works as if there was no laminar product present at exit 8 waiting to be torn. This way when an additional piece of sheet product has to be dosed (by example, as controlled by the presence of a user detected by a user detector system) this will not prevent detectors 17, 18 emit a signal (because the second scan interval is used after the M engine has stopped working to dose the laminar product) that the laminar product (i.e. the dosed part) is still present Waiting to be torn by a user.

In the arrangement shown in the Figures, in the specific region 21 resulting from an IR issued by the issuer 17 and an additional region 22 of which the IR is reflected do not overlap totally. However, these areas could be made to overlap. A discontinuity can be detected more easily when there is a small overlapping area so that a region is examined specific small, so any discontinuity will produce a Big change in the amount of IR received.

To improve accuracy, other detectors laminar (not shown), similar to detectors 17 and 18 could  be located in other locations around the exit such as additionally or as an alternative in the exit 8 system from which the paper arises when dosed. Independently, it is found that a location usually on the side central discharge outlet 8 is preferred as a laminar discontinuity after tearing is invariably more Easy to detect in the center of its width. This may be due to fact that sometimes the lateral ends of a sheet dosed torn does not tear so that they are detected easily while the central part is torn invariably.

The dispenser is preferably arranged for supply a predetermined length of sheet material in each Dosage activation (that is, each dosing cycle). This can be measured by various means such as means of timing to start and stop the M motor after a predetermined time or by detecting the amount of rotations of engine and stopping the engine when required, etc. The length default can be set in the control medium of the doser preferably in a tight manner such as by a variable resistor accessible for example to the assistant that has access to the inside of the dispenser. However, for this laminar product as small as possible is left hanging of a dispenser when a discontinuity has been detected (hanging sheets that, in the case of wipes dispensers paper is a hygienic issue), in an embodiment of the invention, the detection of a discontinuity during the Engine operation can, apart from registering in the middle of check that a sheet is torn (as described above), will additionally cause a signal in the middle of control issued to immediately cease the operation of the M engine. The M engine, on the other hand, would continue to dose a predetermined length of laminar product as indicated previously. Due to the fact that the laminar product is records as it has been torn, however, this will not be a inconvenience for a user since the reactivation or Dosage to emit additional sheet material is possible. Also, the detection of the motor after detecting a discontinuity It has a kind of self-learning function for the user who will often tend to notice the tear premature sheet (paper) before the length default has been fully dosed will cause a small delay due to the need to reactivate the dispenser to Issue more laminar product.

Also a temporary control can be installed in the control means to prevent reactivation of the means of supply 4 until a predetermined time elapses, for example, a time between 2 and 5 seconds. This helps to avoid the use unintentional doser that on the other hand could give as result that the towel material empties in quite a while short.

The tear means 16 are placed upstream of the specific region 21 through which the paper passes during dosing as shown for example in Figure 2. The distance in the direction of the supply of the sheet material 7 between tearing means 16 and specific region 21 can be adequately of the order of one to four cm, preferably less than 3 cm

As explained above, the means of control can include for example a memory or a record in the that the status of a dosing action can be recorded previous. The state can be "torn" or "not torn "for example. Memory can be written simply at a certain location of it in each cycle of dosage (i.e., from the start of the supply motor to the supply engine stop) when a discontinuity or not. This can be done by adjusting a mark on the memory or record as soon as a discontinuity appears. In if a discontinuity is detected, be this during the Dosing cycle or after, the control medium will have a "torn" state. Additional activation of the dispenser it will allow a new piece of sheet product to be dosed at through exit 8. If no discontinuity is detected during or after the dosing cycle (that is, the time during which engine works), the control means will have a state of "not torn" and the control means then controls the motor so that the part of the sheet material that has been dosed but not torn must be torn before dose additional laminar product.

The control medium maintains a condition (it is say, a control status) to not issue a supply order sheet, even when a user is present and has activated the dispenser (for example, detecting by means of a detector system of user) when the status of "not torn" is present in the middle of control. To check if the sheet part has torn or not after the dosing cycle has been completed (that is, for a while when the engine operation) and to save energy or (if required) more individual laminar detection scans are performed additional to a second scan interval that is considerably longer than the first scan interval until said time in which part 24 tears. After over a long period of time (for example, greater than 300 seconds) the second scan interval can be increased to a third longer scan interval

The dispenser may also include a means of reset, which after a predetermined time (for example 10 minutes) may cause the memory to be reset from so that the result of a previous scan in which the paper is considered to have been dosed but not yet torn is erased from memory. In this way, when a user activates the dispenser again being detected by a user detector means, the additional sheet material is It will dose as if there is no paper present at the exit. This also provides a safe fault setting in the event that an incorrect detection occurs by the foil detector means.

When a detector means of user performing a scan function to check the presence of a user (see additional description a then), the timing of the second interval of scan (greater than the first scan interval) for the foil detector means can be properly made to be the same that the scan interval in the user detector medium used for the time when a user has not been detected (it is say, a scan interval t1 as explained to continuation). Alternatively, a multiple or one can be made fraction of this. For example, when an appropriate value of 0.17 seconds is used as a time to explore the presence of a possible user in the user detector medium, the second scanning interval of the paper foil detector means can be used at 0.17 seconds or twice this time or another multiple of the same. This can be achieved using both a circuit of timing (for example, an RC circuit as explained with with respect to Figure 9 or Figure 10) and a software of programming.

The method by which one or more are performed scans on an IR foil detector medium may be the same that the one explained below regarding the description of a IR user detector medium that performs scans.

When a part of a user's body enters in the detection zone (see Figure 1), the detection system of user comprising among others the detectors 9 to 13 sends a signal to the MCU control medium indicating that a user is present, which causes the M motor to rotate to dose a part of the laminar product.

The emitters 10, 12 of the detector means of User mentioned above are arranged by means of control that may be part of the described control means above and that you can understand the control circuit as knows in itself in the art to emit IR by pulses to a band narrower frequency of about 15 kHz for example ± 0.5% (to reduce the effects of background IR). The receivers 9, 11, 13 (also mentioned above), are they have to detect the emitted IR that is reflected against the objects (stationary or mobile) back towards the receivers. These objects can be considered as the background or as a user potential as explained below.

Figure 6 shows a series of explorations individual (i.e., an IR pulse emission) of a medium user detector, at a first scan speed of user that has a time between individual scans of t1 (i.e. a scan interval of t1) and a second user scan speed that has a time between individual scans of t2 (i.e. an interval of t2 scan), where t2 is shorter than t1 and a third user scan speed that has a range of t3 scan where t3 is greater than t1 and t2. The interval of scan is measured as the time since the start of a single pulse scan emitted at the time of emission of the next pulse of individual exploration Each of the individual scans it is shown here in an exemplary way like it has the same pulse intensity Another additional time t4 is shown, which is a predetermined time or a predetermined number of pulses separated by a time t1 (that is, at the first speed of user scan) that needs to pass before that the control medium alter the scanning speed at third slower user scan speed with the time interval t3. The pulse width of each pulse is preferably generally constant.

The user scan interval t1 is adjust to a constant level between 0.15 to 1.0 seconds, preferably and located between 0.15 to 0.4 seconds, that is, of so that each individual user scan pulse is separated by a time equal to t1. The time t1 can be varied. A adequate speed to optimize the device to save battery power and the reaction time to dose has been found to be approximately t1 = 0.17 seconds. The second User scan speed is always faster than the first user scan speed and t2 is adjusted so that this preferably between 0.05 to 0.2 seconds, preferably between 0.08 and 0.12 seconds between scans. Time t2, without However, it can be varied so that it has another suitable value, although preferably it is between 30% and 70% of t1. T3 time it can be adjusted for example between 0.3 and 0.6 seconds, but also a longer t3 time is possible, such as 1 second or even longer. However, to trigger the emittance circuit time (in particular using an RC trip circuit using the constant of RC time to make the discharge current and the microprocessor to start timer operation) be more appropriate if t3 fits twice the duration of t1. This t3 way can be set to 0.34 seconds in case t1 is 0.17 seconds The initial time t1 can be made variable, by example using a variable resistor that works from an output of device, although typically this will be a factorial adjustment to avoid unintended alteration of time t1 which is little Suitable in certain situations.

The time t4 could be, for example, between 30 seconds and 10 minutes and can also be adjusted variably in the device. A suitable value can be approximately 300 seconds, although it can also be greater when you want to save more Energy.

Although not shown, it will be clear that Additional time periods can be adjusted on the device full of intermediate times (i.e. intermediate between values of t1 and the values of t2 or intermediate between t2 and t3, etc.) or even longer periods of time depending on the conditions operational, although the use of three speeds of different user scan that takes into account most of situations with good performance in terms of times of reaction and energy saving.

As can be seen in Figure 6, after four S1-S4 scans at a time interval of t1, at the reception shown, the first speed of User scan changes to the second scan speed faster user with interval t2 and continue to the second scanning speed for two additional S5 scans and S6

Figure 7 shows a sample of the level of possible received signal (received signal strength) of the signals received R1-R7 triggered in response to scan pulses emitted S1-S7.

The IR level of the approximate fund is Q0_ {.}

When S1 is issued and there is no user present, the background level received in R1 will be approximately the level Q0. Also in the S2 scan, the level of IR received is also close to Q0 and, in this way, does not cause the alteration of The first scan speed. In S3 scan, the level of received signal R3 is above the background level although only marginally (for example, it is less than a predetermined value, for example, it is less than 10% above the background IR level) and, In this way, the first scan speed is maintained. Such small changes (below the default level) by above or below Q0 may occur due to changes Temporary humidity levels or people moving at a greater distance from the dosed or lost IR due to changes in solar conditions or temperature conditions around the dispenser.

In S4 scan, the received signal level has reached / exceeded the default value of for example the 10% above the background IR, so that the detector medium and its control assumes that a user is present and that it is required sheet material. In order to react faster when supposed that the user wants a piece of sheet material (for example, a wipe) is dosed, the scanning speed can increase to the second user scan speed.

If the R5 level received in the following S5 scan also meets the criteria of being at, or by above, a predetermined level above the IR background (for For example, at or more than 10% above the IR fund according to the criteria used for previous scans) the system detector records through a counter (for example, a memory or other form of registration) a single detection above the level default and then issues an additional S6 scan to a t2 interval to check if the received IR is at or above of the 10% higher level of the IR fund Q0. As shown in the Figure 5, this is the case for S6 scanning and control of detector system (comprising both a program and a microprocessor in a preferred form) emits immediately after an exit to the engine M to start the engine to dose a product (for example, a part of paper sheet 7 from a roll 3). In this case, that is, when two scans Consecutive are above the default level, the system has determined in this way that a user is in an area that It requires dosing a sheet material. The M engine starts from this way to direct the supply medium to dose the product laminate 7 through the discharge opening 8 as has previously explained, during which the foil detector means works as described above at the first speed of exploration.

It is preferable to allow either two or three consecutive user scans are above the level default, although the number of scans to dose could be any two of each, for example, four scans Consecutive or even other combinations.

In the case shown in Figure 6, after that a wipe or other laminar product 7 has been dosed, the system alters the second user scan speed of back to the first, so that energy is saved. The S7 scan in this way is issued at time t1 after S6 scan. The second user scan speed, however, it can be maintained for longer if desired.

In the case shown in Figure 7 (corresponding to the emissions of Figure 6), where the user has torn a piece of paper that has been dosed since the doser and, thus, the level of IR radiation received in R7 is below the default level (for example, in a level of 10% or higher above Q0). Default level 10% can be varied. For example, the default level for above the background level can be up to 90% higher, even up to 95% higher above the background IR. This allows for example, a major distinction of reflection from the hands of a user compared to any IR received unwanted in width Pulse band of, for example, 12 to 18 kHz.

After a period of downtime t4, the scan speed can be used with an interval of t3 scan.

The background level of IR may vary with the weather. To take this into account in the user detector medium, a moving average of the R signals received from IR registered more recently it can be used to alter the Q0 level on a base keep going. For example, four, (or more or less than four) of the most recently received IR signal values to form the average value of the background signal level by dividing for example, the sum of the received signal levels plus recently for four, for example. As each is received new IR value, the oldest value for the four values is moves out of the calculation (for example, removing it from a record of storage of the most recent values in the circuit control) and calculating a new average based on the most values Recent

Using a moving average of the background IR level, you get the added advantage that when a user that just just removed a wipe or other product with your hands on the After dispenser output, the IR level received will remain high. Without However, to prevent a user from provoking in this way the discharge of a large quantity of product, for example, a material of paper towels, the user's hands are considered to be IR in the background when they are relatively stationary and, of this way, dosing will not occur. To dose material additional laminar (e.g. paper), the user must therefore move your hands away from the dosing detectors to allow a "true" background IR reading (ie IR in the background without the user's hands being present too near the device). Only after the renewed movement of the user hands towards the detectors of the user detector means a sheet can be dosed again.

It will also be appreciated that over time the batteries from the dispenser are discharged and the energy supplied to the detectors may be affected, which causes operation less efficient To prevent this from happening and in this way ensure that a stable voltage is available for supply to the detectors in the user detector medium and / or in the medium reed detector, until a time close to the total depletion of batteries, a constant current drain can be used. Such constant current sinks that provide tensile stability are well known in the art of electronics and, in this way, they are considered not to require more description here, although it will be understood that its use in the circuit detector for said doser as described in that document It is particularly advantageous. The amount of extra energy required to run a constant current drain is insignificant and, in this way, the use of such device is barely noticeable over the life of the battery.

The energy supplied to the emitters of the medium User detector can be varied by automatic control, in particular to achieve optimized levels to have in count the background conditions, to provide a detection Reliable and fast and provide a dosage without using an energy unnecessary

Figure 8 shows a block diagram of the basic system of an embodiment of a dispenser that can be used for the invention, in which the part shown in line discontinuous includes the basic components for modulation of the IR signal, IR emission and IR protection used to send a detector signal to the A / D modulation of the master control unit (MCU), a unit that contains a microprocessor. This can be used for both the user detector medium and the detector medium of foil.

Tables 101 and 102 denote emitters and IR receptors, respectively, generally corresponding to emitters described above 10, 12 and receivers 9, 11 and 13. The transmitter 17 and the receiver 18 of the sheet detector means can be arranged to fit in the control circuit of the same so that senders 10, 12 and receivers 9, 11, 13 put These are also IR emitters and receivers. The silhouette of a hand indicates that the IR radiation of the emitters 101 is reflected by a user's hand back to receivers 102. This it is the same for the foil detecting means, so that the sheet reflects IR from emitter 17 back to receiver 18.

Unit 103 is a photoelectric converter to convert the received IR signal before it passes to the unit of filtration and amplification 104 where the bandpass filter and amplification circuits work to amplify the signal received around the center frequency in a bandwidth limited and thus suppress other relative IR frequencies. The signal is then passed to a rectification unit of signal 105 since the IR signal is an AC signal. From unit 105, the signal passes to the A / D module of the MCU. The use of pulse IR without However, it is not an absolute requirement, particularly for media foil detectors

The output of the PWM 106 module (width module pulse) is controlled by the MCU so that it can be varied the useful cycle of a square wave signal from the PWM by means of the MCU to adjust the DC voltage to the emitting circuits and, of this way, the energy of the IR signal emitted. The PWM 106 is connected  to a D / A converter 107 and to an IR transmitter of the unit trigger circuit 109 which includes the current drain constant mentioned above. Towards the same circuit IR emitter actuator is also supplied a signal from a phase 108 frequency detection module that emits a pulse to 15 kHz (± 0.5%) of a modulated signal (or other frequency of modulated signal as deemed appropriate) to activate the emitters 101 via transmitter drive circuit 109 to emit modulated IR signals for short intervals (for example, each signal is emitted for approximately 1 ms). Respect to this it should be noted that before the modulated signal is emitted, the MCU should first have the filter in the amplification circuit unit 104 for the signal received in an operation for a short period, for example, 2.5 ms before of emitting a modulated pulse to allow the receiver circuit stabilize, so that it reliably detects the IR reflected from the emitted IR signal. As explained previously, for the paper detecting means, the circuit receiver can be adjusted to be constantly connected due at the very short scan interval used during engine operation

Since unit 104 is already in operation when the IR scan pulse is emitted and how the filters and the amplification unit are centered around the frequency central pulse emitted, there is no need to synchronize the timing of the pulse emitted and the pulse received at any additional extension

The signal from unit 109 is supplied to the on / off control unit 110 of the IR emitter. He input / output module 118 of the MCU also supplies to the unit 110 to connect and disconnect as required to perform an IR scan in this way using the transmitter 101.

To activate the microprocessor (that is, activate it to perform a user scan or a foil detection scan at a certain speed as it mentioned above), the RC 115 activation circuit can be supplied to the MCU in an activation detection unit 114. For the foil detector means for as long as the engine is running, the MCU can be maintained preferably constantly activated, since the interval of Laminar product exploration is very short. Unit 117 is a External interruption detection unit.

From the input / output module 118 there is a supply to unit 119 which can be considered as the circuit motor activator that activates the M motor when the detector system (which preferably includes the MCU and a program) has been detected that the laminar product should be dosed due to the determination of the presence of a user in the area of dosage 14.

Other peripheral units 111, 112 are respectively a paper detecting means (whose operation is described in more detail above with respect to the Figures 2 to 5) and a low energy detection circuit (i.e. for detect battery power). The connections for this are not show, although similar to those used for the medium user detector Unit 116 indicates battery power which are used to drive the MCU and also all others peripherals and the M motor. Unit 120 may be a circuit of motor overload that disconnects motor power, by example, when the laminar product gets stuck in the dispenser or when there is no laminar product in the dispenser. Unit 121 It is a unit for controlling the length of the laminar product (which by itself it can be adjusted in a variable way by manual operation for example of a variable resistor or similar) that works so that a predetermined length, laminar product constant is dosed every time the engine is Operates to supply a length of sheet product 7 through the discharge opening 8. This unit 121 can also include low energy compensation modules whereby the motor at lower energy is rotated during a longer period of time to dose the same length of laminar product although the unit could simply be a system Pulse position control, so motor rotation M is counted as a series of pulses and the rotation stops only when the exact number of pulses has been achieved. Said system pulse position control could include for example a fixed-located photo-switch that can detect slots in a corresponding slotted unit attached to the motor drive shaft (or alternatively in the roller actuator 5 operatively connected to the actuator motor). The unit 122 may be a laminar product detection circuit low and unit 123 can be used to indicate if the cover is open or closed This can be used for example to provide automatic supply of a first part of the laminar product from roll 3 through the discharge opening when the cover is closed, for example, after filling with a new roll of for example paper, so that the person who fills the dispenser ensures that the device is dosing properly after closing it.

Although not shown here, a series of lights warning indicators or status indicators can be associated, by example, with various units such as units 111, 112, 120 to 123 to indicate particular conditions to a potential user or person who maintains or repairs the dispenser (for example, if the dispenser motor is stuck or it is necessary to refill the dispenser with paper or similar.

Figure 9 shows an embodiment of a RC control circuit that can be used to give a time of Microprocessor activation in the MCU. The principle of saying circuit is well known and in the present case it is an appropriate value for the 820 kOhm RE resistor and for the 0.33 capacitor microfarads Although not specifically shown in Figure 7, the RC activation circuit uses the input / output unit 118 of the MCU to provide a timed activation function of the microprocessor so that a scan occurs in a prescribed time interval (t1, t2 or t3, for example). When there is a high to low voltage drop at the input / output, such as RC circuit result, the MCU will "activate" and perform a exploration. This activation that leads to a scan User detection also requires a support program. Similarly, the length of time t1 and / or t2 and / or t3 can be made suitably as a multiple of the time constant of the RC circuit, so that the input from the RC circuit can be used in the program to determine whether an exploration is required or not at each interval. Regarding this it will be observed that an RC circuit is subject to voltage changes at the input (through VDD which is the source of supply voltage to the acquired MCU after passing through a diode from the voltage supply to the battery). As the battery voltage (or batteries) drops, then there will be an increase in the RC time constant in the circuit of Figure 9 and, thus, the times t1, t2 and t3 initially adjusted will vary as the batteries run out plus. For example, with time t1 set to the preferred level of 0.17 seconds for a battery level of 6.9, a drop to the level Depletion of 4.2 V will increase the time t1 to 0.22 seconds. From this way, the values t1, t2, t3 etc., as used in this document, should be understood as values with a source of fully charged battery. Similarly, the first interval of scan and the second scan interval to use in the sheet detector means are also determined values at a full battery power.

Figure 10 shows a reaction circuit modified that has the advantage of using less current than the circuit shown in Figure 9. In Figure 10, three are used bipolar transistors to minimize the current used when the MCU is lethargic.

Through the circuit of Figure 9, the modification includes the use of two PA7 input / output ports (at  right side of the Figure) and PB7 (to the left side in the Figure) Y. The important aspect of this circuit is that two transistors Q2 and Q3 have been added in cascade that modify together the RC load characteristics. The MCU PA7 plug then gives a Load curve much sharper. The delay time constant for the activation of the MCU it is determined between R4 and C1, which have been given values of 820 kOhm and 0.68 µF respectively in the example shown. Of course, other values can be chosen for others time constants

The fastest voltage change on the PA7 port is achieved after conversion into Q1 and Q3, which minimizes the time required for the transition from high logic voltage to a low voltage level logic. Said circuit as in Figure 9 can get about 40% energy reduction during the deactivation cycle, compared to the circuit of the Figure 8 for approximately the same time constants RC. In this way, the RC timing circuit of Figure 9 It is particularly advantageous, saving maximum energy.

Claims (17)

1. A dispenser (1) that includes a supply means (4) driven by a motor (M) for dosing a part (24) of the laminar product (7) stored in said doser, which additionally includes a dosing outlet (8 ) through which said sheet product (7) is supplied after a supply order issued by a control means (MCU) and a tear means (16) against which a region of said sheet product has to be stretched to allow that said laminar part (24) is torn and removed from a remaining part of a supply of laminar product (7), wherein said dispenser (1) includes a foil detector means (17, 18) to detect the presence of the laminar product (7) in front of a specific region (21) of said dispenser close to said dispenser outlet (8), said sheet detector means (17, 18) being connected to said control means (MCU), characterized in that said foil detector means is arranged for explo repeatedly said specific region at a first scan interval for the presence of laminar product (7) or a discontinuity of said laminar product (7) throughout the operation of said motor (M) until the cessation of operation of said motor (M) ) and by which said foil detector means is arranged to send a signal to said control means (MCU) to indicate that this laminar product (7) has been torn, as long as said detection system detects a discontinuity of the laminar product ( 7) during said total engine operation. 2. A dispenser according to the claim 1, wherein said specific region (21) is disposed downstream of said tearing means (16). 3. A dispenser according to the claim 1 or 2, wherein the control means (MCU) is arranged to run the engine so that a length Default sheet product is supplied by said means of supply (4) at least when no discontinuity is detected in said laminar product (7) during the full operation of said motor (M). 4. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said detecting means sheet (17, 18) comprises at least one IR emitter (17) and at least an IR receiver (18) arranged to receive the IR issued by said IR emitter (17) and reflected by the laminar product (7) that blocks the IR path to said specific region (21). 5. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said region specific (21) is located on a surface (19) of said dispenser housing (1). 6. A dispenser according to the claim (5), wherein a relatively dark area (23) with regarding the color of said sheet product (7), they are arranged on said surface (19) of said dispenser housing. 7. A dispenser according to the claim (6) wherein said relatively dark area (23) is a black area that covers at least part of said surface (19) of said dispenser housing. 8. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, which additionally includes a user detector means (9-13) connected to said control means (MCU), said detector means providing user (9-13) a signal to said control means after detecting the presence of a user to allow said control means (MCU) issues a supply order of sheet. 9. A dispenser according to the claim 8, wherein said control means (MCU) includes a memory to store information from a previous scan by said foil detector means (17, 18) made during the operation of said motor (M). 10. A dispenser according to the claim 9 wherein said control means (MCU) is arranged to issue a sheet supply order when it has been detected a discontinuity in said prior exploration during the operation of said motor (M) and wherein said control means is arranged to maintain a control state so as not to issue a sheet supply order if no one has been detected discontinuity in said prior exploration until said time as another individual exploration, for a while without operation of said motor (M), detects a discontinuity. 11. A dispenser according to the claim 10, wherein the control means is disposed of so that when a discontinuity has not been detected in a previous scan, a second scan is done by said paper detecting means at a second scanning interval after said previous exploration for a while without engine operation in which said second interval of scan is greater than said first scan interval performed during operation (M) and in which if the product laminar (7) is detected during said second individual scan, is performed in an additional individual scan on a basis of repetition at said second scan interval, until the laminar product (7) is not detected. 12. A dispenser according to the claim 11, wherein said second scan interval increases to a third longer scan interval until it exceeds a predetermined number of second intervals of exploration. 13. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said first interval scan is less than or equal to 20 ms, preferably it is less than or equal to 10 ms and more preferably less than or equal to 5 ms 14. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first interval Scan is less than or equal to 3 ms. 15. A dispenser according to the claim 7, or any one of claims 8 to 12 when they depend on claim 7, wherein said second scan interval is the same as the scan interval determined by the microprocessor activation circuit used to determine the scan interval to detect the presence of a user, so the scan interval in the foil detector means is the same as and is performed at the same time scanning for the detection of a user. 16. A dispenser according to one of the previous claims wherein the control system (MCU) is it has to supply an order signal to the drive motor of said supply means (5, 6) to stop said motor (M) after the detection of a discontinuity in the sheet product (7). 17. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said control means (MCU) is arranged to prevent said foil detector means (17, 18) perform an exploration in said first interval after the cessation of the operation of said motor (M).